Over the last several decades there has been a continual change in the design of underground storage tank fueling systems used in retail petroleum service stations. Since Jan. 1, 1987, the State of California has required that all new underground storage tanks (UST's), which contain hazardous substances such as gasoline, be secondarily contained (i.e. double walled) and monitored for leaks. Additionally, all pipelines that transport the hazardous substance from the UST to above ground product dispensers must also be secondarily contained and monitored for leaks. More recent regulations (Dec. 22, 1998) have required the installation of a containment sump, commonly referred to as an under dispenser containment sump, around the turbines that pump the hazardous material from the UST to the above ground product dispensers.
On May 14, 2001, Senate Bill 989 (SB989) amended California's UST regulations. SB 989 required that the secondary containment on all UST systems be tested for leaks prior to Dec. 31, 2002. For most of the secondary containment systems installed since 1987, this was the first time they had been tested for leaks since they were installed. Upon testing, it was found that between 70 and 80% of all UST systems tested required some sort of a repair in order to pass the regulations. Typically, the secondary containment in these systems were not tight and leaked. As a result, many of the systems failed the initial testing. The leaks that were discovered during the testings were typically found in the penetration fittings that were used to connect the pipelines to the UST containment sump and the under dispenser containment sump. These penetration fittings were typically elastomeric boot-type penetration fittings. A problem with these fittings is that fuel vapors tend to deteriorate the elastomeric material of the fittings, thus damaging the fittings to the point where leaks occur.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved contiguous double containment underground storage tank fueling system and/or improved penetration fittings associated therewith to reduce and/or prevent product from escaping the underground storage tank fueling system.